Duplex wire coiling machine



Dec. 21, 1943. c, E. sPAULDlNG DUPLEX WIRE COILING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1942 mvA *4i MAM Dec. 21, 1943. c, E, sPAULDlNG A 2,337,420

DUPLEX WIRE COILING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1942 s sheets-sheet 2 Dec. 21, 1943."

c. E. sPAuLDlNG 2,337,420

DUPLEX WIRE COILING MACHINE FiledApril 2, 1942 s sheets-sheet s Patented Dec. 21, 1943 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFIC 6 Claims.

This invention relates to wire ceiling machines of the general type in which a wire is caused to bend or coil itself about a fixed arbor or mandrei by its own positive forward movement. In such machines, the wirey is fed from a continuous supply, as by driven feed rolls, and is forced against a fixed coiling point or abutment, located adjacent a fixed arbor or mandrel. The wire is diverted by the coiling point in such manner that it automatically coils itself about the arbor. The pitch of the coil or spring is determined by a pitch tool, which is adjustable lengthwise of the arbor to vary the pitch. Such machines are commercially well known and one such machine is shown in the expired patent to Sleeper, No. 1,266,070, issued May 14, 191.8.

It is the general object of my present invention to increase the capacity of such coiling machines by making them in duplex form. To the attain,- ment of this general object, I provide improved devices for simultaneously adjustingv the two pitch tools used in my improved machine, and also for adjusting each tool independently. I also provide an improved construction for drv'- ing the two sets of feed rolls used in my new machine.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of partsY which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Preferred forms of the invention are shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation of my improved duplex wire coiling machine;

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a right-hand end elevation, looking in the direction of the-arrow 3 in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. l is a plan View, lookingk in the direction of the arrow 4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional side elevation, taken along the line 5--5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a plan View showing two pitch tools and simultaneous adjusting mechanism therefor;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, looking in the direc-Y tion of the arrow 1 in Fig. 6

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional plan view, taken along the line 8--8 in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a pitch tool holder to be described; n

Fig. 10 is a plan view similar to Fig. 6 but showing a modified construction; and

Fig. 11 is a side elevation, looking inthe direction of the arrow I lin Fig. 10.

Referring particularly to-Figs. 1- and 2, my iniproved duplex machine comprises a; fixed frame lil in which grooved feed rolls Il and |22 are rotatably mounted. The lower feed ,rolls I-I are mounted on a' cross' shaft i4 (Fig. 3) supported in fixed bearings in the frame I0, andI the upper feed rolls l2 are mounted on separate cross shafts I5 rotatable in separate bearing blocks vI-G (Figs. 1 and 3') eachv of.A which :isv capable of vertical movement in thev frame l0* and each of which is limi-ted by a stop screw IT which may be aid*- justedto provide the desired' pressure on4 a given size of wire W tobe coiled; y r,

A segmental mandrelor arbor 2l]` (Figs: 1v and 2) for each pair of feed rolls mounted in xed position inV they frame I0, and; a coi-lingl point or deflecting abutmentV 2l for eacharbor' isr'riounted ina'.v slide g2 which may be'4 adjustef'lv forward or backward by a screw 23 which engages a pivoted adjusting arm 24. By adjusting the coil"- ing points 21| toward` or away from-the mandrels 20, the diameter ofvk the c'oil aty eachside of the machine may be decreased or increased as desired.

A cut-efr tool 25 for each Wire i's-niountd in a swinging holder 25 andmay be swung'ftoward itsV associated mandrel 20 to' cut theV wire' atthe endof each coil, whenandl as desired. For a cilof the opposite handg-the-cut-oif t'oo1l 2351111935' be mounted inl asecond and upper swinging holder 26%v A pitch toolA 3l] is mounted closely adj acenteach mandrel 2'0- and also adjacent? toeachV ceiling point'- 2i', and eac'h pitch tool determines the pitch of the coilor spring wound on its;assotz'ia ated mandrel. By adjusting the pitch tooif axiai-1y' ofthe man'drei and toward or away from lie Vfim'e |93, the pitch or' sa'fzigi oflilfel coils 1fa`ybei dedreased 0ri'nc'rased asV desired.

Gro'ovedi guide-plates 332iy directV the wires W tothe-feed rolls I-I' and l2, andsimilar g'rooved guide-plates 33'1 arev provided to direct the wires W from the' feed rollsl to theI'nan'd're'lsl 20,coil irig portszl and pitoh to`o1s`3iL For' amorev .completeV description of' this; generalmethodl ofAk ceiling'4 wire,v reference-'isf'- made' to the' prior patent to sleeper of record; 'rite-'sleepier patent, however, discloses a singlev ceiling mechanism only,\whereas inmy improvedlmachine, as-shown'- herein, all of the wirmanip'uating devices are duplicatedat the opposite'sids of the Amachine and the capacity ofthe machine is doubled. Y

It is necessary'` thatbotli thelowerfee'drolls and the upper feed reus" 12' 5e postfix/'ayto'- tated atequalV surface speeds; and oiifture of my invention relates to the provision of improved mechanism for positively driving the two upper feed rolls I2 and at the same time permitting each feed roll to have a slight independent vertical movement to accommodate differentI sizes of wire.

My improved driving mechanism is shown in Figs. 2 to 5 and comprises the usual drive shaft 40, gear 4I and pinion 42 usually found in such machines. The pinion 42 is fast on the cross shaft I4 which supports the lower feed rolls II, and these rolls are thus positively and simultaneously rotated.

A gear 44 is Inountedon the shaft I4 and .ap-A

proximately at the center of its length and engages a similar and equal gear 45Vhaving extended hub portions 46 rotatable in spaced side portions of a fixed bearing Yblock 41. The-'inner ends of each upper feed roll shaft I5 are reduced in diameter, as indicated at 5U, so that .they pass freely through axial openings 5I in the hubsV 46 of the upper driving gear 45 and with substantial clearance. y

,At their extreme inner ends,'the driving shaft portions 58 are connected by universal joints 52'to the driving gear 45, so that the shafts I5 will be positively and simultaneously rotated and 'will also each be capable of slight angular dis- .placement of its axis with respect to the axis of thegear 45. The driving gears 44 and 45however, rotate in fixed spaced relation and on fixed parallel axes, so that the best driving conditions are continuously maintained.

.It is customary to provide the feed rolls II Vand I 2 with a plurality of grooves of different cross-sectional radii, which largely takes care of differences indiameters of wires and without Y substantially increasing the upward movements vof the feed rolls I2 for larger wires.

My improved driving mechanism, as above described, is positive and effective and applies the vpower to the independently vmovable upper feed rolls I2 in a very reliable Yand mechanically satisfactory manner. Y It has been previously stated that the pitch lof the coils-or springs wound on the mandrels 2U may b e varied by adjusting the pitch tools 3U outward or inwardl with respect to the frame I0.- In Figs. 6 to 9 I have shown mechanism by which the pitch tools 30 at the two sides of the machine may each Y be given an independent Y linitial, adjustment, and by which both tools may .be thereafter simultaneously adjusted whenand ,as desired. L

Referring to Figs. 6 to 9, each pitch tool 30 is .formed at the end of a rod 60 slidable inV a. xed .bearing in the frameIU. The inner end of each rod 60 isadjustably secured in a tool holder or' -block 8l 4(Fig. 9) which may be slotted as indicated at 62 and provided with upper and lower `openings 63 and 64 to'receive the rods 60. Each -rod 60 is placed in an upper opening 63 or in a lower opening 64according to the hand of the coil or spring to be wound by said pitch tool, and may be clampedin adjustedaxial position in said opening by tightening a clamping screw .65 (Figs. 6 and 7). f y Each block 6I'is connected by a stud 66 to the lower end of an arm 61 or 61amounted to swing about a fixed pivot stud 68. Each arm 61 or 61a 'has .a laterally extended slotted arm 69 Vor 69a, connected by a clamping screw 18 to an arm 1I or 1I, which arms are also pivoted on the studs 68and extend laterally therefrom. Y

The 'inner ends of the arms 1I andjla are halved together, as indicated in Fig. 6, and the arm 1I has a stud 12 extending through a Slot 13 in the arm 1HL and to which stud an operating rod 15 is pivotally connected. The rod 15 is normally pressed upward by a. stiff spring 16 and such movement is limited by an adjustable threaded stop collar 11 on the rod 15.

The working positions of the two pitch tools S8 may obviously be simultaneously adjusted by changing the setting of the stop collar 11 on the threaded rod 15, and the position of each pitch tool 30 may be independently adjusted, either by sliding the tool in or out of the opening 63 or B4 in its holder 6I, or by changing the adjustment between the arms 61 and 1I or 61a and 1Ia by loosening the clamping screws 10.

After the pitch tools are correctly adjusted at ,both sides of the machine, the tools may be simultaneously moved outward by pulling down on therod 15, should this be desirable in starting up the machine or for any other reason, or they may be simultaneously and permanently adjusted inward or outward by changing the setting of the stop collar 11.

The rod 15 may be operated either manually or .automaticallyrthe latter being desirable in winding coils of varying pitch.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have showna modified and somewhat simpler construction for simultaneously adjusting the pitch tools. In this construction, the inner end of each pitch tool rod j 68 is inserted in an opening 88 in the outer end of a tool slide 8| or 82, and is adjustabiy secured therein by a clamping screw 83. The slide 8| has a stud 83a mounted therein, which extends freely outward through a slot 84 in the slide 82.

At its outer end, the stud 83a has a pin-andslot connection to the upper end of the upright arm of a bell crank 85, mounted on a xed pivot 86. A similar stud 81 in the slide 82 has a pinand-slot connection to a second bell crank 88 mounted on a. second fixed pivot 89. An actuating rod 90 is pivoted on a stud SI which extendsY through a slot in the horizontal arm of the bell crank and is fixed in the horizontal arm of the bell crank 88.

By vertical adjustment of the rod 93, the slides 88 and 82 and the pitch tool rods 6o may be simultaneousl'y andr equally adjusted in opposite directions. One or more clamping screws 92 may be provided for holding the adjustment, if so desired.

The simpler construction in Figs. 10 and 11 thus presents similar advantages to those described with respect to the constructions shown in Figs. 6 to 9.

'The details of construction of my improved machine having been made clear, it will be noted Vparticularlytliat I have provided improved, re-

liable and ecient means for simultaneously driving independently separable and angularly adjustableA feed rolls, and that I have also provided irnproved and effective devices for either separately or simultaneously displacing or adjusting the pitch tools at the two sides of a duplex coiling machine.

Having thus described my" invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than `as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is: l

1. In a duplex wire coiling machine, a fixed frame, separatecoiling apparatus at each side of said frame'including two separate pitch tools positioned at opposite sides of the frame, means to separately adjust said pitch tools toward and away from the sides of said frame, and means to simultaneously adjust both of said pitch tools in opposite directions toward and away from the sides of said frame.

2. The combination in a Wire coiling machine as set forth in claim 1, in which said latter means comprises separate pitch tool holders, bell cranks for said holders, and a single means to move both bell cranks and to thereby move both holders simultaneously in opposite directions.

3. The combination in a Wire coiling machine as set forth in claim 1, in Which said latter means comprises separate pitch tool holders, bell cranks for said holders having adjacently located arms, spring means to move said adjacent arms of said bell cranks in one direction, and a single means to move said bell crank arms in the opposite direction.

4. The combination in a Wire ceiling machine as set forth in claim 1, in which said latter means comprises separate pitch tool holders, bell cranks for said holders having adjacently located arms, spring means to move said adjacent arms of said bell cranks in one direction, a single means to move said bell crank arms in the opposite direction, and an adjustable stop to limit the springactuated movement.

5. The combination in a Wire ceiling machine as set forth. in claim 1 in which each pitch tool is adjustably secured in a separate tool slide, and in which a single actuating device is eiective to move both slides simultaneously and equally in opposite directions.

6. The combination in a Wire coiling machine as set forth in claim 1 in which each pitch tool is adjustably secured in a separate tool slide, yand in which a single actuating device is effective to move both slides simultaneously and equally in opposite directions, and in which clamping means is provided to retain said pitch tools and slides in a selected relation.

CARL E. SPAULDING. 

